On March 26, California held special elections for State Senate in the First and Thirty-Third districts. Here is a link to the election returns. In the first district, no one got a majority and the runoff will be between two Republicans. In the 33rd district, no one got a majority and there will be a runoff between a Democrat and a Republican. Also in the 33rd district, where there were twelve candidates, a Green Party member, Cesar Flores, got 1.5%.
In September 1999, the national convention of the U.S. Taxpayers Party changed its name to the Constitution Party. Every state affiliate then asked its state election officials to recognize its new name, except that the Nevada and California affiliates preferred to keep their old name.
All states then let the party change its name, except for Michigan, where the Secretary of State refused. On March 23, the Michigan affiliate again asked the Secretary of State to update its name to the Constitution Party.
Other states that have let qualified parties change their name (even though they have no law on that subject) include Alabama in 1979, Alaska in 1972, Hawaii in 1978, Idaho in 2000, Kansas in 1972, Massachusetts in 1991, Missouri in 2000, New Mexico in 1979, Oregon in 1996, Pennsylvania in 1993, South Carolina in 2000.
A few states have laws on this subject, permitting name changes: Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Wisconsin (New Mexico didn’t have such a law when it permitted a name change in 1979).
On March 26, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed HB 325. The old law let voters switch parties as late as a month before any primary. The new law says voters can’t switch parties after December 31 of the year before any particular primary.
On March 25, the Hawaii Democratic Party released its plan for the 2020 presidential selection process. The plan goes for the party to hold its own presidential primary on Saturday, April 4, 2020. Although the party’s polls will close that day at 3 p.m., the party will also arrange for early voting. See Josh Putnam’s description here.
Amy Howe has this detailed description of the March 26 argument in the U.S. Supreme Court in the partisan gerrymandering cases from North Carolina and Maryland.
